The movies in this Pix are not only set during World War Two, but also deal in a subject that I have been interested in for quite a while: Intelligence Operations regarding the OSS and SOE. The Heavy Water War As many of you know I am a HUGE fan of World War…
Category: Historical Study
Espionage Files: The CIA’s Phoenix Program in Vietnam and the “War on Terror”
The Phoenix Program in Vietnam in many ways provides a blue print for our own times. Assassinations and torture are the essence of the war on terror. As are death squads and false flag terror attacks. As are mass surveillance of the populace. Thanks to the work of Douglas Valentine in his classic book “The Phoenix…
World War II History: The Antonescu Paradox
Hitler’s Romanian ally led an utterly barbaric regime — that while often protecting Jews inside Romania’s borders, murdered them indiscriminately just outside those borders. The Jewish cemetery of Jassy, in northeastern Romania, occupies one of the highest spots in the city. It is quite literally vast, crowded with graves for hundreds of yards in different…
Military History: Junior Generalissimos – 9 of History’s Youngest Commanders
“While a 30-something three-star is certainly a rarity in the annals of military history, a number of other legendary leaders assumed the mantle of command at far younger ages. Consider these.” IT’S BEEN SAID THAT WAR IS A YOUNG MAN’S GAME. Need proof? Look no further than James M. Gavin. James Gavin, pictured here before…
World War Two History: The Nazi’s and the A-Bomb
Being a World War Two History buff and also an amateur historian and writer, I am always on the lookout for new books, movies or documentaries on the subject. Recently, Netflix came out with a 6-part Norwegian Mini-Series entitled The Heavy Water War that portrays Nazi Germany’s race to develop Atomic Weapons and the Allies subsequent…
Studies in Warfare: Russia Needs Three Days to Conquer Estonia and Latvia
In the event of an invasion, NATO’s options are ‘all bad’ according to a new study NATO has no way of stopping a Russian conventional invasion of Estonia and Latvia short of nuclear war, according to a new RAND Corporation study. That’s not surprising in itself. Russia has one of the world’s most powerful militaries,…
Soviet History: Coping with Reality, Alcohol in the Gulags
Two weeks ago while speaking to my grandfather, who had just arrived from Moscow for his annual six-month stay stateside, I asked him about the current sanctions ravaging the Russian economy. Sensing the question was too broad, I asked about the price of groceries, about decreasing pensions, and if he had noticed any discontent amongst…
Studies in Terrorism: Hamas The “Merchants of War” Who Seek to Destroy Israel
In the words of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, the tunnels are being dug not only to “defend the Gaza Strip, but to serve as a launching pad to reach all of Palestine.” As one can see from any map of Palestine, “all of Palestine” does not mean living in peace alongside Israel; it means supplanting…
Lessons From Stalingrad 73 Years Later
As an amateur World War Two Historian, there are several theaters of the War you must study to get a grasp on the War as a whole. The European and Pacific Theaters take up the bulk of this study of course, but one that has fascinated me for several years is the German/Soviet Theater of…
Evolving the Marine Corps for Irregular Warfare
The concept of an evolution to a new type of warfare has been understood for decades, but the U.S. military, the Marine Corps included, has failed to adapt to the changing methods of waging war. The type of warfare that goes by the names irregular, counterinsurgency, low-intensity, and hybrid, among others, is not new…